Believing people are as individual as snowflakes, I have always been fascinated by the variations in the human race and enjoyed the cultural differences. This has led me to explore diverse expressions of tradition and beauty. My ambition is to portray the beauty of all peoples.

The challenge of capturing a person's mood, child's innocence, warmth and caring of a parent, love for another, history etched on the face of the aged, weathered face of a labor or expectant joy of a young woman, is most enjoyable.

"The more I celebrate the differences in people, the more similarities I find."​​

Cathleen McCoy Bristol is a former instructor at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art, the Junior Museum of the Newark Museum, Arts Unbound and Senior Studio. .Cathy has freelanced as a fashion illustrator but her passion is as a painter, focusing mostly on portraits and figure work but also paints landscapes, still lifes and animals. Cathy a frequent exhibitor, often works on a commissioned basis and has numerous works in private collections. .

I am awestruck by God's creative hand and find the colors of His palette inspiring for my use of color when painting people as well as landscapes. These expressions were usually done in oil or water color paint but most recently, acrylic paint has become a medium of choice.

My faith in God has directed me to render various religious images for groups, churches, ministries and individual collections.​​

Cathy is a board member of 1978 Maplewood Art Center​ and the Arts Council of East Orange. She is also a member of the SOMA Artists Studio Tour Committee.​As a member of Exhibitors' Co-Op, she displayed her work at the New Jersey Arts Incubator, West Orange, New Jersey, The JCC Metrowest, West Orange, New Jersey, Farmstead Arts, Basking Ridge, New Jersey. ​​Published in May 2014 editions of Matters Magazine - SPRING and Vicinity Magazine (advertising The Farmstead Exhibit) and The Record.

Cathy has also participated in group exhibits at 1978 Maplewood Arts Center, Maplewood, New Jersey, Art at 1275, Fairfield, New Jersey; Arts Guild of New Jersey, Rahway, New Jersey, Gallery U, Westfield, New Jersey; (Jewish Community Center) JCC Metrowest, West Orange, New Jersey; Jewish Museum at Congregation Ahavas Shalom of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey; Maplewood Memorial Library, Maplewood, New Jersey; Overlook Medical Center, Summit, New Jersey; Paul Robeson Center at Rutgers the State University, Newark, New Jersey; Pierro Gallery, South Orange, New Jersey; Salem Roadhouse Cafe, Union, New Jersey; Studio Montclair, Montclair, New Jersey; Temple B'nai Or, Stoney's , UPS and The Fur Salon South Orange, New Jersey and ​​Zufall Medical, Dover, New Jersey. Some of the exhibits are annual events to which her work has been accepted.

Cathy co-curated the SOMA (South Orange Maplewood ) Artists Studio Tour at the Maplewood Memorial Library and Ugo Giannini's Exhibit at the Pierro Gallery, South Orange and was the curator of the 2014 SOMA Studio Tour Exhibit ​​at the Maplewood Memorial Library.